12 including GP Chief booked for attacking a Dalit

UDUPI : Twelve persons including the president of the Atradi-Hirebettu gram panchayat have been booked in connection with the case of assault on a senior citizen belonging to the Dalit community who had opposed the destruction of a public road and damaging of side drains.

Kalu Naika (78) is the senior Dalit citizen of Kanchinabailu in Rebettu village, who was attacked by the miscreants. The accused are Sharath Hegde, President of the gram panchayat, Prasad Hegde, Anup Shetty, Ganapathi Naika, Mukunda Naika, and others.

Kalu Naika was using the public road leading to the Nagabana at Kanchinabailu in Hirebettu since long, but the accused used to often raise their objection to his using the road. Meanwhile, on May 22, the accused who had arrived along with JCB had dug up the road and even damaged the side drain. When Kalu Naik opposed this, he was abused and attacked.

As per the complaint lodged by Kalu Naik, a case has been registered against the accused.